49safpod

Hear from startups and investors across Alaska in this first of a two-part series exploring the state’s growing entrepreneurial movement and startup ecosystem.

Spotlight Series: Surprise May edition! Hear Nicki Shinners and Richard Van Hale of the Van’s Dive Bar and the Marx Brothers Cafe talk about running two successful small businesses in town. We hear the great story of how the Marx Brothers Cafe got its name, what keeps them going with busy schedules and multiple businesses and jobs, and what a retirement plan looks like for these two that love their work. Enjoy the show, and check out Van’s Dive Bar online https://www.facebook.com/vansdivebar/ and at 1027 E 5th Ave, and the Marx Bros. Cafe, http://www.marxcafe.com/ at 627 West 3rd.

Joe’s back at it again interviewing the heads of Anchorage re:MADE, Patti Buist and Jill Kaniut.  In name their business repurposes and resells, but that’s hardly an adequate description: they have everything from classes on sushi making to small business ownership, rentals, and commercial kitchen space.  Listen to this mission-driven non-profit doing life better together, and check out their website at http://www.anchorageremade.com/; see how you can get involved! Also mentioned: http://www.chdtraining.org/, check it out!

Spotlight Series: March Madness edition goes long with this episode from Anchorage Urban Fellows Jenny-Marie Stryker and Veri di Suvero. We left it all on the ice last week with Stacie Meisner from Anchorage Sports Association. Go scout their website at https://www.anchoragesports.com/aboutus, and enjoy this slam dunk of an episode.

Another takeover Spotlight Series episode from Anchorage Urban Fellows Jenny-Marie Stryker and Veri di Suvero.  We hear from Nina Bonito Romine from The Kobuk about her classic Anchorage institution, what it’s like to run a business with family, and some of the hardships and lessons learned along the way.  Check out their website at https://www.kobukcoffee.com/, and find Kobuk on 5th and E.  ALSO: Tell us how 49SAF is doing—fill out this short survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HXJWHNM

Takeover Spotlight episode from Anchorage Urban Fellows Jenny-Marie Stryker and Veri di Suvero.  They talk to Jose Martignon from Pangea Restaurant and Lounge about his story of getting into the restaurant business, what inspires him, the lessons he’s learned in his more than 30-year career, and some of his advice to other entrepreneurs.  Listen, and then go drool over their menu at: http://pangearestaurantandlounge.com/ before you visit!  ALSO: Tell us how we’re doing—fill out this short survey on 49SAF: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HXJWHNM .

By some counts, 1 in 10 Americans are self-employed. A form of entrepreneurship that will continue to be important in the country as the gig economy rises, let's hear from DJ Spencer Lee on his journey from firefighter to news reporter to opening for Diplo.

Entrepreneurs of the Inlet, Strive and Chariot: Bob Gross (Inlet Tower Hotel & Suites) and Rick Thomas (The Chariot Group, The Strive Group) have been entrepreneurs for decades. With roughly a dozen projects between them, the two spend forty minutes going beyond their origin stories. They talk about lessons learned, hopes for the future, what "attachment" means in business and more.

This episode features three new voices! Takeover-Host Jenny-Marie Stryker talks with Kirk Rose, the executive director of the Anchorage Community Land Trust and Randy Moore, the secretary of the Alaska Investors Network. Hear what a Land Trust is doing with microloans, what inspires an Angel Investor, and how we can make the entrepreneurial and investment community more inclusive and accessible. Check out AIN at http://www.akinvestnet.com/ and learn more (and apply by February 3rd!) to Set Up Shop at https://www.setupshop-ak.com/

What do we talk about with Peter House, CEO of IT risk management firm Deeptree? Less the technical stuff, more the entrepreneur-to-life balance stuff: What it's like for the family to have you gone or constantly working, what keeps him up at night, and what it's really like to startup as a bootstrapper.

OTIS is a four-week early-stage program focused on spinning up solutions to challenges in the ocean economy. Demo night is October 27! On the cast: Jacqueline Summers (Business Enterprise Institute), Joel Cladouhous (Alaska Ocean Cluster Initiative), Taylor Evenson (Participant, Team Beaufort), Alyse Daunis (Participant, Team Chukchi), Julia Casey (Business Enterprise Institute). Check out www.otis.blue

Another award-winning Alaska startup and our first 3-for-1! Meet the three founders of Kauffman Foundation's national 1 Million Cups award winner, Pandere Shoes. This startup makes shoes for people with unique feet--specifically, people with lower limb swelling. ALSO - We talk a lot about "the rainforest" in this cast. Here's a link to Victor Hwang's video (and he has a book): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZLZIFL5rsM

We continue our conversation with 49SAF Advisors Rick Nerland and Steven Trimble. This time it's all about Alaska's entrepreneurial ecosystem--what we're doing well as a community and what we need to change. We talk a little bit about the 49SAF, too.

Tales from the entrepreneurial trenches by two 49SAF Advisory Committee members, Rick Nerland and Stephen Trimble. They cover their toughest days, losing and winning, and their entrepreneurial journey--whether after 25 years (Rick) or two (Stephen).

This week it's angel investor, airstream enthusiast and tech tourer Paul Singh on the cast. We talk about capital quite a bit--and the right kind of capital for main street America--as well as the future of VC, and the necessary skills entrepreneurs need to survive today. Follow Paul @PaulSingh or resultsjunkies.com

A sit down chat with Alaska's entrepreneurial champion, positive force and an amazing economic developer, Jon Bittner of the Alaska Small Business Development Center. We talk about our July 27 free conference (register at 49saf.com) Alaska Startup Week (online at alaska.startupweek.co) and more!

We sit down with University of Alaska Global Entrepreneur in Residence Nigel Sharp to discuss his coming year of work in our state's entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Again a 2-for-1! A chat with Kristy Naylor and Penny Gage at the State of Alaska about the community's new crowdfunding law. https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/ded/DEV/IntrastateCrowdfundinginAlaska.aspx

In this episode, two guests for the price of one! We talk with founders Dan Perpich and Linda Janes of Vertical Harvest Hydroponics (verticalharvesthydroponics.com). They, along with cofounder Cameron "the plant whisperer" Willingham, are the American Farm Bureau's Entrepreneur of the Year. We talk about entrepreneurial basics like bootstrapping, how remarkably far "Es" can go with just a little education, hashing out cofounder conflicts and more.

A talk with Paul Hackenmueller of Spruce Root Community Development. Covered: Alaska Brewing and the importance of launching into a growing market, triple-bottom-line businesses, Alaska's growing food industry, and the upcoming Path to Prosperity business plan competition. Check out Paul's work -- and Southeast Alaska food startups should apply to the 2017 competition -- at www.spruceroot.org